Our Poor tortoise died

[eajspider]

Hi All

I am very confused out new tortoise died and we have no idea why. We only had him 1 day and he was fine and eating and drinking and active and this morning when i got up he was moving around his little enclosure. Omar who is 5 years old was with him while i got a little bath ready for him and when i came back in Omar said he won't wake up. I told him he was probably resting and we would bathe him later but when I looked his head was so far inside his shell and his mouth was open a little and I could just tell he was dead.

Omar is a very gentle boy and said he did not push or poke or drop him but i do not see in the space of a few minutes how he went from crawling to being dead. Omar is very truthful , we love all creatures and I am so sad that this poor turtle died whilst in our care could he had been sick . I am sure this is impossible to know but if any one has any ideas why he could of died so suddenly.

We are all very sad and I am very upset that he died and still can't believe it . I am still checking every few minutes to see if he is really dead as its just so strange . Omar said he opened his mouth and then closed it and then opened it and then didn't do it again.

Emma

 

[ascott]

I am so sad for you. If you only had the little critter for one day and Omar is trustworthy enough to know he did nothing....likely your tortoise may have come to you already with something that caused this end result......I am sorry.

 

[Torty Mom]

Sorry to hear about your tortie. Was his shell soft?

 

[dmmj]

sad to hear, a tortoise usually just does not die, they hide illness for long periods of time. Sadly without a necropsy a cause will never really be able to be found.

 

[cemmons12]

Sorry to hear that..

 

[eajspider]

I know its very strange that he died so quickly, he did have a bad eye yesterday when Omar brought him home from his summer school, his eye looked closed and a little crusty . I gave him a bath in a tiny amount of water as the lady said she had not bath them and I know that bathing is a good way for them to rehydrate and as soon as i put him in he had a big drink of water , like he was very thirsty.

I guess we will not know.

Emma

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

Keeping his mouth open might be a sign of clogged nostrils and respiratory issues.

 

[Sky2Mina]

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that, Emma.

 

[Laura]

what kind of tort was he?
what was he eating?
did you use any kind of sprays or meds around him? or on him?
did he choke?
so sorry...

 

[Jacqui]

That's rough and so very sad. I would ask the questions Laura did.

 

[eajspider]

I had fed him on the day we got him, I gave him some cucumber, and when we moved away he started eating with quite some appetite and polished of a good amount for such a small thing. As i mentioned he also took a bath and was quite thirsty took a good few slurps of water.
The next day when i woke up he was fine, when i picked him up he had a big stretch of his legs. He did not have any food in his enclosure as i had tidy it away the night before . It was very strange as his head was so far back inside his shell and his mouth was open a bit, it was strange how he died so quickly and so sad. We buried him and Omar put a little flower in the mud for him.

Omar was very sad and then a hour later the builder brought the nicely finished tortoise table we had built, Omar started crying and said he no longer had a tortoise to put in it as he had died. I explained to Omar we will get him another one but first we will get everything we need for his enclosure and fix it all nicely for him and then we will buy him another. Omar had me print some care instructions about tortoises for him and he keeps wandering around the house with them and asking us if we will read them to him as he wants to know everything so his new tortoise does not die.
Emma

 

[lynnedit]

Very sorry to hear that. No way to know what he died of since you only had him for one day, but sounds like you are both doing everything you can to make things right for the next tortoise.
You can look on this site as well, for information on the care of specific tortoises, as humidity, lighting, etc., can vary.

 

[african cake queen]

sorry for your loss. lindy

 

[LadyV]

I'm so sorry

 

[Stephanie]

I'm so sorry for your loss. I don't think it was due to anything you or Omar did, but that's just so sad...
Omar sounds like an absolute sweetheart. I'm sure he will make a great little tortoise owner with your help and guidance

 

[Reptilemama38]

I'm so sorry for you loss, and for Omar's loss.

 

[dmarcus]

Very sorry for your loss...

 

[Sky2Mina]

Oh, Omar sounds like such a great kid!
Read a lot to him, I bet he will be a responsible keeper when you're both ready to try again.
Good luck!

 

[AnthonyC]

What a terrible thing! I'm so sad for Omar.

 

[pk2610]

I am so sorry for your loss. I had the same experience two months ago. I had this Sulcata baby for about seven months and found him dead in his tank. I was so shocked and it was hard to believe. I kept thinking why did it happen and still didn't not know the reasons. He was happy and active just the day before he died.

I've just got a new baby tort and I hope he is doing OK but I am worried often becasue of the past experience. Anyway, don't give up hope.